"Huey," Riley probes at his big brother's face with a fallen branch. "Wake. Up." He pokes his face twice more, but he still doesn't get a response. A strong breeze ripples through his baggy clothes. Chills begin to invade his tiny ten year old body. He drops the branch and wraps his arms around his bare arms. Maybe he should have listened to his granddad and put a sweater over his tank-top.

"Huey, get up!" He whimpers as the wind jeers at the results of his stubbornness. A single drop of liquid takes a plunge from the clouds and plops on his shoulder. "Ah!" He yelps. Looking up to the sky, his eyes are displeased to see the new shade of darkness dressed on the clouds. Another wind sweeps over him, which is just enough to convince him that the weatherman was on point earlier.

He grits his teeth as he looks down on his slumbering brother. Of all the times to take a nap on the hill, he picks today. The chill bumps crawling over his body causes his flesh to stir uproar in his mind.

"Leave him! Run to your cozy bed before it is too late!"

Yet, there is something in him that will not allow him to leave his brother out to hang like that. Even if he don't agree with eighty-nine percent of the things Huey say, lost countless fights to him, and hates sharing the same room, he could not just leave him there.

"Yall know how I met her." Riley turns around sharply to see the tree. However, the voice was coming from behind it. "Broke up and got back together. . ."

Riley takes a few steps toward the tree till he can see down the steep hill. He recognized the dreadlocks before anything, and that's all he needed to realize that it was Caesar.

"Hey!" He calls out to him, but the headphones clinging to his head drowns out his voice. Riley glares at him till he makes eye contact.

Caesar smiles and takes off his headphones. "What's good, Riley?" He pauses for a brief moment and notices that Riley is shivering. "Where's your sweater?" He tugs at his own.

"Psh… Thugs don't need no sweater!" He toots his nose in the air.

Caesar shrugs. "Okay, whatever." He walks pass Riley and stops once seeing Huey. "Is he sleeping?"

"What it look like?"

Caesar walks over to Huey and squats down beside him. "Yo, Huey, wake up." No reply. Caesar begins to shake him by the shoulder, but he still remains like a rock. Caesar stands back up and looks at Riley. "How long has he been here?"

Riley comes closer and looks down on Huey with Caesar. "I don't know. I just know he won't get up!"

"Interesting."

The two gaze at the sleeping boy in silence. Another wind strikes Riley's flesh which causes him to buckle at the knees.

"How you holding up, Thug Life?"

"Shut up!" snaps Riley. "Why are you up here anyway?"

Caesar takes his eyes off Huey. "I came up here to write some rhymes. . ."

"Boo! You can't rap." Sneers Riley.

Caesar gives him a dumbfound look. "Just because I don't get down with that cat you friends with. . ."

"Thugnificent is not a kitty rappa!" Riley folds his arms and puffs out his chest. "He's my mentor."

"Sixteen bars. Go." Caesar shoots out the demand.

Riley's face fall. "Um, what?"

"Sixteen bars." Caesars says plainly. "Let's see how much your mentor has invested in you."

"I don't have to prove nothin' to you!"

"Kitty rapper." Caesar smirks.

Riley stamps his foot and points a finger in Caesar's face. "Fine! You asked for it. Now I have to drown you with my tsunami like flow!"

Caesar rolls his eyes. "That's if the rain don't beat you to it. Just get on with it already."

Riley flares his nostrils. "Fine!" He takes a step back and gets into a new stance. After clearing his throat, he becomes ready to flow.

"I'm no average dude, so don't get me mixed up with a pattern

I produce nothing but green, call me Green Lantern!"

"Oh!" Riley stops rapping and pulls a small notepad from his back pocket.

Caesar looks at him as if he is insane. "What are you doing?"

Riley mirrors his look. "Did you not hear the words that came out my mouth? That's platinum stuff right there! I can't just waste hot material like that." Riley chuckles as he shakes his head. "And you call yourself a rappa."

Caesar shakes his head in disbelief. "Actually, I recognize myself as a MC. I have passion behind my art."

Riley pockets his notebook after scribbling down his rhyme. "Okay, Mr. MC, "He folds his arms again. "Since you are sooooo passionate, spit!"

Caesar pushes his dreads out of his face. "No sweat."

He begins to nod his head to a beat produced in the studio of his mind.

"Had a talk with Granny a few hours ago

I was in a rush, but I couldn't just tell her no

Granny's a farmer, and my ear was the corn

So I sat and listened so her heart wouldn't be torn

She began to talk about how her house was built on a rock

When the storms come, she isn't worried about being knocked off the block

Hurricanes and tornadoes came through strong

But that house on the rock always held on

Then she begin to tell me about her friend

She said her house was built on the sand

So when the floods and wind came it really didn't last

Starting from the bottom, her house just crashed

She said, 'Boy, you better have a good foundation

Because you are going to need it for devastation'"

Caesar instantly gets quiet and begins to look around suspiciously. Riley quickly gets spooked and starts to look around also. "What?" He hisses.

Caesar presses his finger against his lips to motion for Riley to remain silent. Riley does so, but he can't help but to glance over his shoulder twice. Caesar grabs his shoulder and gives it a firm squeeze.

"I hope these words don't make you look at me different

But I feel sorry for you if your foundation is Thugnificent."

Caesar smiles broadly in Riley's face as his eyes turns into furious slits. "Funny, you looked at me different."

"Get back!" Riley shoves a giggling Caesar away from him. "You are not funny!"

"Take it easy, Rezzy. Not my fault your rhymes are cheesy!" Caesar begins to laugh even more.

Riley growls. "Shut. UP!" He kicks at the grass pulling up some soil in the process. A small grain of dirt falls on Huey's forehead. His eyes flutters open.

He sits up and looks at the two boys standing before him. "Why are you two here?"

The sky lights up and the sound of thunder come afterwards. Riley looks up to have his right eye greet a cold rain drop. "My eye!"

"But you suppose to be a thug." Chimes Caesar. He walks over to Huey and helps him unto his feet. "I think it would be in our best interest to get inside."

Huey nods in agreement.

Inspired by Matthew 7:24-29.